, 1887-05-05
A Band Of Men Stop a Southern
Pacific Train.
A Small Haul for the Trouble
and Chances Taken.


occurred yesterday on the west bound
overland train on the Southern Pacific
railroad near Tucson, Arizona. A
letin this afternoon from Tucson gives
the particulars of the affair, as follows :
The western bound express, due
here at 10 80 last evening, was stopped
and robbed at Papago station, eighteen
miles east of here, about 8 80 o'clock
last evening. The number Of men en-
gagged in the robbery is variously esti-
mated at from five to eight. Cal.
Harper, the engineer, when approach
ing Papago, u side station, was sig
nailed by red lantern to stop. He
slowed down, and as he approached
the light noticed an obstruction on
the track, so placed that in case he
failed to stop the engine would spread
the track and derail itself. Immedi-
ately on stopping dozen or more
shots were fired into the express car
and a man with pistol in each hand
I boarded the engine, ordered Harper
to get down. Other robbers had in
the meantime been trying to open the
express car. Failing to get it open,
they placed a stick of giant powder
under it and compelled Harper to
light the fuse attached. This he was
obliged to do, hut to avoid being
blown up, the messenger opened the
car and the robbers took possession
after extinguishing the fuse. They
then took charge Of the car, un.
coupled the engine, baggage and ex-
press car from the remainder of the
train, made Harper get on the engine
and pull ahead two lengths. This
being done, Harper was again put off,
and the robbers took charge of the en-
gine and pulled six miles toward
Tucson. Here they killed the engine
and left it. During the run the rob-
bers went through the mail and ex-
press cars, but did not get more than
$4,000. They got two packages of rail
road money, one. OF $l2lO and
one of $500, and also took two
packages of postage stamps going
s&tthe post Office at San Francisco.
II is reported the express messenger
threw So, 500 in gold into the stove and
so saved it from the robbers.
Nothing was known here of the af-
fair until past midnight, when a tele-
gram was received from Pontaro, n
brakeman having walked back eight
miles to that place. A special was
sent down and the train brought in
at six o'clock this evening. None of
the passengers were mOlested. Some
of the passengers knew nothing of the
trouble until after their arrival here
Under Sheriff Shibbell was early at the
scene of trouble, but could discover
nothing that would lead to the identi-
ty Of the robbers. Ten trailers, under
deputy sheriff M. +. Shaw have left
for the scene of trouble. The robbers
are believed to be discharged railroad
employees. Although they compelled
Engineer Harper to show them how
to handle the locomotive it is believed
by their actions in handling tho train
they were perfectly familiar with such
work.
-. A.Immediately upon receipt of the
xews at the Office of the Southern
Pacific in this city, A. N. Towne, gen.
eral manager, issued the following cir
cular with orders to the company's
agents to post it in conspicuous
place:
1.-THE mail and express cars on the
west bound train, when at point
seventeen miles west of Tucson, A. r.,
at 10 o'clock last night, were stopped
and robbed by four or five men. The
Southern Pacific company hereby
offers a reward of $1,000 each for the
arrest and conviction of the robbers,
which is in addition to like reward
offered by Wells, Fargo & Co.'s ex-
press. In addition TO this we under
stand the United States postofiice de-
partment has standing reward OF
5000 for the arrest and conviction OF
of persons engaged in robbing the
mails"
From information received by him
General Manager Towne said this
afternoon in reference to the affair:
"There were five shots fired from the
,hApk by the robbers into the express
- after the train had been brought
to n stop. The robbers had placed
ties on the track, and red signal was
waved to stop. When the train came
to standstill, the engineer and fire.
man were ordered to get Off the en-
gine, which they did. Then they
were each given stick of giant pow
der, and told that they must compel
the mail agents and express messen-
ger to open the car, or the robbers
would, with revolvers, compel them to
light the dynamite, to destroy the
cars. Under these threats, the ex-
press messenger and mail agents
abandoned their cars. The robbers
then uncoupled the locomotive, ex-
press and mail cars from the train and
got on the engine and ran down the
track two miles. There they stopped
and took all the money they could find.
The money obtained froA Wells, Far
gA& Co., was about $1,000. No pas
Ser. was molested. The robbers